Tom Brady & Donald Trump's Relationship Is Complicated

It may seem far-fetched, after the drama and feuding of the last year, that the president would be chums with any player of the National Football League. But one of football's greatest and most beloved (and hated!) players actually has pretty deep roots with the commander-in-chief. Tom Brady and Donald Trump's relationship is complicated, to say the least.

Brady, the famed quarterback for the New England Patriots, will take center stage this Sunday as the Patriots go head-to-head against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII. The game, which will be played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, starts at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The president and football star have known each other personally for at least 15 years, but Trump's controversiality has developed over the last few years as his role in the spotlight has morphed from real estate magnate to star of The Apprentice to presidential candidate, and now, the 45th president.

Brady has been a longtime friend of Trump's.

The two apparently made acquaintance in the 2002 Miss USA pageant, according to The Daily Beast, when Trump invited Brady to judge after the first-season QB won his first Super Bowl. Their friendship slowly developed over the years.

In a December 2015 interview with WEEI, Brady asked to be left out of the debate about then-candidate Trump's proposed ban on Muslims. "He's a good friend of mine. He's always been so supportive of me," Brady said. "He's always invited me to play golf and I've always enjoyed his company. I support all my friends in everything they do."

Things certainly didn't get any easier when Trump, as president, took aim at the league Brady plays in.

Trump has been feuding with NFL players for months.

Over the last year, Trump repeatedly stated his opposition to NFL players protesting the national anthem as a statement against police brutality of people of color. Each time, Trump's comments seem to escalate the tension. The situation reached a boiling point in September 2017 when, at a rally in Alabama, Trump used explicit language to refer to the players, and called for them to be fired.

"I think everyone has the right to do whatever they want to do," said Brady, when asked about the booing during the anthem. "If you don’t agree, that is fine. You can voice your disagreement, I think that is great. It's part of our democracy. As long as it is done in a peaceful, respectful way, that is what our country has been all about."

"There is no greater unifier in this country than sports, and unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics," Kraft said, per the Post. "I think our political leaders could learn a lot from the lessons of teamwork and the importance of working together toward a common goal."